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Ecuador’s parliament ratifies free trade agreement with China
9-Feb-2024 The Sun
The National Assembly of Ecuador, the country’s unicameral legislature, ratified a free trade agreement with China.
China, Honduras sign FTA early harvest arrangement
9-Feb-2024 Ecns
The two sides agreed to commence respective domestic procedures to bring the early harvest arrangement into force.
Nepal, Australia sign Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
9-Feb-2024 Khabarhub
The Nepal-Australia Trade and Investment Framework was signed during Foreign Minister NP Saud’s ongoing visit to Australia.
Neocolonial ISDS, abused, biased, costly, and grossly unfair
9-Feb-2024 Inter Press Service
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in international trade and investment agreements – long abused by opportunists with means – are slowly being rejected by cautious governments.
"We call upon Members of European Parliament to vote against the EU-Kenya EPA"
8-Feb-2024 Collectif Stop CETA Mercosur
In an open letter signed by over thirty organisations from Kenya and the EU, civil society groups call on MEPs to vote against the agreement.
China – Sri Lanka FTA talks stall following disagreements
7-Feb-2024 Colombo Gazette
Talks between China and Sri Lanka on a Free Trade Agreement have stalled following disagreements on certain issues, including on the level of liberalization.
Ireland seeking review of EU-Israel agreement over rights concerns
7-Feb-2024 Reuters
Ireland is in talks with other EU members who want a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis that Israel may be breaching the agreement’s human rights clause.
India, UAE to take economic ties to next level with bilateral investment treaty
7-Feb-2024 Hindustan Times
Building on their close personal friendship, PM Modi is going to sign big ticket deals with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his trip to UAE.
EU-Latin America trade deal cannot be approved in current form, says Varadkar
7-Feb-2024 The Irish Times
The deal has been in negotiations for two decades, and supporters had hoped the agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay could be concluded after new environmental protections were sought.
House of Commons passes new Ukraine free trade deal over Conservative opposition
7-Feb-2024 CBC
The House of Commons passed an updated free trade agreement with Ukraine over the objections of Conservative MPs, who have attacked the bill for containing a reference to "carbon pricing."
AfCFTA: Digital trade protocol (draft, Oct 2023)
6-Feb-2024
ECVC demands from Place du Luxembourg, Brussels: End free trade agreements and ensure fair prices for farmers
2-Feb-2024 European Coordination Via Campesina
Hundreds of farmers from European Coordination Via Campesina have assembled with their tractors in Place du Luxembourg, Brussels, alongside more than 30 civil society organisations to call for an end to the EU-Mercosur deal and other free trade agreements.
The time is right to finally drop the EU-Mercosur deal
2-Feb-2024 Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe, Eurogroup for Animals and the European Trade Justice Coalition (ETJC) share European farmers’ frustration over having to compete with imported products exempt from the EU environmental, labour and animal welfare standards.
EU-Japan economic partnership agreement: EU and Japan sign protocol to include cross-border data flows
1-Feb-2024 Council of the EU
The Belgian Presidency of the Council has signed the protocol to include provisions on cross-border data flows in the agreement between the EU and Japan for an Economic Partnership.
International Chamber of Commerce former arbitrator says ISDS has “lost battle of public opinion” and “legitimacy”
1-Feb-2024 AFTINET
To maintain the system, he proposes that business should shift away from ISDS in state-to state trade and investment agreements, and instead move to ISDS in contracts between individual investors and states.
How a US mining firm sued Mexico for billions – for trying to protect its own seabed
1-Feb-2024 The Guardian
Local fishers helped halt underwater mining off Baja California’s coast in 2018. But then an obscure international legal process was put into motion.
India should not cut customs duty on auto sector in any free trade pact: GTRI
1-Feb-2024 Money Control
The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said India has not given tariff or duty reductions for cars in its free trade agreements with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Japan, and Korea.
IPEF supply chain deal to take effect Feb. 24
1-Feb-2024 Nippon.com
The US Commerce Department said Wednesday that an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity agreement on supply chains will come into effect Feb. 24.
Anti-China sentiment could sink a free trade deal with Ecuador
1-Feb-2024 World Politics Review
The ratification of the Ecuador-China Free Trade Agreement, signed in 2022, faces significant hurdles in the nation’s National Assembly, as the dissolution of the assembly by President Lasso and subsequent snap elections, along with concerns about transparency and public engagement during the negotiation process.
India seeks service inclusion, investment commitment from Switzerland in EFTA trade deal
31-Jan-2024 CNBC TV18
India and EFTA have held negotiations on several chapters including trade in goods & services, intellectual property rights, investment promotion and cooperation, rules of origin, trade facilitation and trade and sustainable development.